Spiritual Gifts

[Joshua-777]

Lord, Heavenly Father, I praise You and thank You, You alone are worthy and righteous, You are Holy and just. Blessed be Your name, and Your glorious Kingdom, that is established in Your hands, and through Your power. I pray that You would fill us with deeper intimacy with You, that You would open our hearts and our understanding and let us know You more. I pray that You would lift up our hearts and keep drawing us closer and deeper in love with You, and let us love each other as ourselves. In Jesus name Amen.

I decided to start a poll about how many have experienced the operation of spiritual gifts. Not whether you believe in them or not, but how many have experienced them or seen them in operation. This is a topic that there is much debate over, but I believe that the Spirit moves in Power, and these gifts display Gods power. I am curious to see how many have experienced these gifts.

Mark 16:15 Then he said to them, "As you go throughout the world, proclaim the Good News to all creation. 16 Whoever trusts and is immersed will be saved; whoever does not trust will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who do trust: in my name they will drive out demons, speak with new tongues, 18 not be injured if they handle snakes or drink poison, and heal the sick by laying hands on them." 19 So then, after he had spoken to them, the Lord Yeshua was taken up into heaven and sat at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and proclaimed everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the message by the accompanying signs.

[~Shalhevet~]

I have many gifts and praise God for them.

[Chelsea7]

I like the idea of a poll on whose personally experienced spiritual gifts.

[RebekahDavid]

blessings,

i voted yes and it is yes to both witnessing and experiencing.

love your sister in Christ,

Rebekah David

[lekh l'kha]

I voted I haven't experienced any of the gifts personally. Not because I don't believe that anyone else has - but because I haven't personally - although this is a very broad question, because I have experienced having guidance from God in a dream with specific scriptures coming into my dream which although they were "random" (in the sense that I had not recently been reading those specific scriptures, nor had I ever memorized the book, chapter and verse they were found in, yet they came up book, chapter and verse in my dream and were answers to what I needed at the time).

I don't know about the speaking in tongues thing in the churches. I always wonder if they were intelligible human languages and what purpose they served in the days of the apostles and what purpose they serve now. I must admit I don't like listening to people praying in tongues, it makes no sense to me that God would desire it - in fact many years ago I invited an unbelieving acquaintance with me to church one day and went into a Pentecostal church. The moment he heard everyone praying and signing in tongues, he looked at me and said something like "That's it, I'm outta here" and got up and left. What a pity they weren't preaching the gospel in a logical, intelligent way instead of frightening the living daylights out of him with their babbling away in tongues.

[Botz]

I don't know about the speaking in tongues thing in the churches. I always wonder if they were intelligible human languages and what purpose they served in the days of the apostles and what purpose they serve now. I must admit I don't like listening to people praying in tongues, it makes no sense to me that God would desire it - in fact many years ago I invited an unbelieving acquaintance with me to church one day and went into a Pentecostal church. The moment he heard everyone praying and signing in tongues, he looked at me and said something like "That's it, I'm outta here" and got up and left. What a pity they weren't preaching the gospel in a logical, intelligent way instead of frightening the living daylights out of him with their babbling away in tongues.

I think that this is in reality a mis-use of one of the gifts, although common in many 'charasmatic' assemblies...doesn't mean the gift itself is wrong in any way...just that it is an unhelpful use of it, and if I was an Unbeliever I would have scarpered too.

I also think many potential Believers have been lost/put-off at times when the antics carried out in the name of Jesus have far more to do with the flesh than the Spirit. The gifts are not for show-casing or trying to prove G-d exists...they are for the edification, building up and equipping of the Saints, and therefore should be used wisely and in accordance to sound teaching. The disciples were chuffed to bits that demons fled when they prayed for people, and you can imagine the scene when they all got together and compared notes on what G-d was accomplishing through them under the direct authority of the L-rd....but Jesus' response to their euphoria was :-

Luke 10:17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name. 18And He said to them, I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. 20Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.

He wasn't pouring cold water on their enthusiasm...just getting them to focus on the source of true joy.

[7thseal]

Not whether you believe in them or not, but how many have experienced them or seen them in operation.

Actually that will determine alot of answers given...

I've both seen the Holy Spirit demonstrating his gifts through others and in myself as his vessel. I praise the Lord for His presences in his people.

Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

[Joshua-777]

I voted I haven't experienced any of the gifts personally. Not because I don't believe that anyone else has - but because I haven't personally - although this is a very broad question, because I have experienced having guidance from God in a dream with specific scriptures coming into my dream which although they were "random" (in the sense that I had not recently been reading those specific scriptures, nor had I ever memorized the book, chapter and verse they were found in, yet they came up book, chapter and verse in my dream and were answers to what I needed at the time).

I don't know about the speaking in tongues thing in the churches. I always wonder if they were intelligible human languages and what purpose they served in the days of the apostles and what purpose they serve now. I must admit I don't like listening to people praying in tongues, it makes no sense to me that God would desire it - in fact many years ago I invited an unbelieving acquaintance with me to church one day and went into a Pentecostal church. The moment he heard everyone praying and signing in tongues, he looked at me and said something like "That's it, I'm outta here" and got up and left. What a pity they weren't preaching the gospel in a logical, intelligent way instead of frightening the living daylights out of him with their babbling away in tongues.

Hi, I know what you mean about guidance from dreams, and the Spirit bringing scripture. It's amazing how He leads. As far as tongue speaking churches, I have been to a few that where filled with the Holy Spirit, and I've seen God move through some, but I have seen others that where not grounded in His word. All spiritual gifts are used for edification, Tongues edifies only the person with it unless an interpreter is available. There are many churches that misuse this gift. Paul shows that there should be order to the gifts, and giving correction to this kind of misuse.

1 Corinthians 14:2 For someone speaking in a tongue is not speaking to people but to God, because no one can understand, since he is uttering mysteries in the power of the Spirit. 3 But someone prophesying is speaking to people, edifying, encouraging and comforting them. 4 A person speaking in a tongue does edify himself, but a person prophesying edifies the congregation.

Paul gave clarity to everyone speaking in tongues in church. Tongues is not for a show, but it's for the individual believer whom the Spirit choses, Here is what he says concerning everyone speaking in tongues at once.

1 Corinthians 14:23 So if the whole congregation comes together with everybody speaking in tongues, and uninstructed people or unbelievers come in, won't they say you're crazy? 24 But if you all prophesy, and some unbeliever or uninstructed person enters, he is convicted of sin by all, he is brought under judgment by all, 25 and the secrets of his heart are laid bare; so he falls on his face and worships God, saying, "God is really here among you!" 26 What is our conclusion, brothers? Whenever you come together, let everyone be ready with a psalm or a teaching or a revelation, or ready to use his gift of tongues or give an interpretation; but let everything be for edification. 27 If the gift of tongues is exercised, let it be by two or at most three, and each in turn; and let someone interpret. 28 And if there is no one present who can interpret, let the people who speak in tongues keep silent when the congregation meets - they can speak to themselves and to God.

Here Paul says let everything be done for edification. Here is says if there is no one there who can interpret, Tongues should be kept silent, they can speak to themselves and to God. From the start of the chapter, Paul tells us to seek that we may be able to prophecy. But the most important is love. God wants us to seek His Spiritual things eagerly but most importantly we need to pursue love.

1 Corinthians 14:1

1 Pursue love! However, keep on eagerly seeking the things of the Spirit; and especially seek to be able to prophesy